Turnabout Thief
by digibutter.nerr
Summary: Phoenix Wright's newest client is the second Yatagarasu, Kay Faraday, but can he really defend someone who claims to be a "Great Thief?" Throughout his investigation, Phoenix learns about Edgeworth's adventures outside of the courtroom, even after Phoenix's disbarment. (Takes place after DD & before SoJ / May contain spoilers from AAI 1 & 2)
1. Chapter 1

The low hum of Los Angeles traffic could be heard from the open windows of the Wright Anything Agency. The only person remaining in the office was the establishment's owner, Phoenix Wright. For some odd reason, crime rates seemed to increase with the temperature. Phoenix spent the warm summer evening sorting through case files and arranging his schedule to meet with clients. The sound of shuffling papers was followed by a small sigh of exasperation as he tapped the desk impatiently. After all the years of being a defense attorney, reading through tedious, lengthy documents never got any easier, or any more entertaining. It never was. Perhaps a bit more organization would make it less frustrating, though. As his eyelids grew heavier, he leaned back in his chair. _A quick power nap never hurt anyone_ , he thought.

Before he could even get a chance to close his eyes, the Steel Samurai theme emanated from the files on his desk. He quickly dug through the papers until his cell phone came into view. He hit the green answer button and raised the phone to his ear.

"Hello?"

"Is this Phoenix Wright?" said a familiar voice.

"Yes, that would be me. Who is this?"

"Thank goodness, pal! It's me, Detective Gumshoe!"

"D-Detective?!"

"You would not believe how long it took me to find your number. This whole time I thought your name was Phoenix Right! Without the W!"

 _You mean to say, that in the near decade you've known me… you didn't know how to spell my name?!_

"A-Anyway, pal… I've got an emergency! Oh gosh this is bad...this is real bad…"

"What's the matter Detective? What happened?"

"Well, y'see, someone I know got arrested! But she's totally innocent; you hafta defend her!"

Phoenix glanced at his mountain of case files and sighed.

"Listen, detective… I'd really like to help you out. But I'm flooded with work right now. I don't think I can take up more clients anytime soon. Aren't there any other defense attorneys available in the district?"

"Trust me, no one's taking up this case anytime soon. The evidence is real incriminating. But I know you'll be able to get that acquittal, pal!"

"What exactly are her charges?"

"So you're defending her?! You're a real lifesaver! Anyway, she-"

"I never said I'd defend her! I just asked what the charges are!"

"C'mon, pal…"

"You can 'C'mon, pal' me all you want. I already told you, I literally don't have the time to be taking up any new cases…"

"Alright, alright I get it…"

"Thanks for unders-"

"So you won't do it for my sake. That's understandable… but what about Mr. Edgeworth, huh? Would you really refuse to defend one of his closest friends?"

"She's… a friend of Edgeworth's?"

"Didn't I mention that?"

"No... Is she a prosecutor or something?"

"Not all of Mr. Edgeworth's friends are lawyers… She's a thief!"

"A thief…?"

"Yeah, that's what I said."

"I'm assuming she was charged with theft?"

"How did you know?!"

"Lucky guess…"

"So are you defending her or not?"

"Detective Gumshoe… You just called this woman a thief, yet you still want me to defend her?!"

"Oh! Well… she's not that kind of thief!"

"What do you mean by "that" kind? What other kinds of thieves are there?!

"She steals the truth, pal!"

"The truth?"

"It's complicated… Please, pal. Just say you'll defend her! She means a lot to Mr. Edgeworth..."

Phoenix sighed for what seemed like the millionth time that evening. He pondered the detective's request for a moment. _Should I take the case? The detective sounds so worried; but then again, I'm not the only defense attorney in the world. But if no one else will take it… He probably won't stop bothering me either._

"It looks like I don't have a choice, do I?"

"You mean you'll do it? You'll defend her?!"

"I'll meet with her. We can discuss the case then… but not until tomorrow, Detective."

"Man, oh man, I really owe you! Kay's gonna be thrilled to hear this. Seeya later, pal!"

"Goodbye, Detective."

Phoenix hung up the phone and leaned back once more in his chair.

 _Man, I really have to learn to say no sometimes… But I guess if she's a close friend of Edgeworth's, she must be trustworthy._

 _"Kay's gonna be thrilled to hear this."_

 _So her name's Kay, huh? Did you have a girlfriend I didn't know about, Edgeworth?_

Phoenix laughed at the thought and checked the time. It was almost nine o'clock; Trucy's magic show would be over anytime soon. He would have to leave now if he didn't want to miss a taxi to the Wonder Bar. His daughter wouldn't be happy if he showed up late to pick her up… again.

 _Maybe I should look into buying a car for once…_


	2. Chapter 2

At this point the long hallway leading to the detention center had become all too familiar. Upon entering, Phoenix was greeted by the gaze of a security camera just beyond the large glass window in front of him. A guard entered the room on the other side of the glass, escorting a young woman with him. Once she had been seated, Phoenix sat down in the chair provided and introduced himself.

"Hello, my name is Phoenix Wright. I'm a defense attorney."

"So you must be the one Gummy has been talking about, huh?"

"G-Gummy?"

"Anyway, the name's Kay! Kay Faraday. Nice to meet you!"

The woman looked to be in her late twenties. Most noticeable was the large gold key protruding from her black ponytail, and a large badge of the same color depicting a three-legged crow upon her scarf.

"Uh, nice to meet you, too, Miss Faraday."

"I'm guessing you want me to testify? You know, about my whereabouts on the day of the crime and what not."

"Well, yes actually. That would be ideal."

"Don't worry Mr. Wright, I've been through the whole shebang more times than I can remember." Kay's bright green eyes were positively glowing and her smile spread from ear to ear.

"You… have?"

"Yep! Back in my investigating days that is."

"Oh, so you were a detective?"

"Mmmmmmnnot exactly. I'm a Great Thief and the second Yatagarsu! Always have been and always will be," she replied with a smirk.

"I see," Phoenix replied, fairly confused. Though he's heard far more outrageous introductions. If anything, she's quite normal compared to his past clients

"Alright," Kay pumped her fist into the air, "Let's get down to business!"

Phoenix was taken aback by the girls fierce, peppy attitude, but he couldn't help but smile at her excitement in reciting the case details. He learned of how she had been visiting the Global Studios Museum which had featured quite a few of their greatest movies and most popular television shows. Her particular point of interest had been the Jammin' Ninja exhibit, a show starring a laid-back, guitar-playing ninja. Unfortunately, one of the key exhibit pieces, the original guitar played by deceased actor Juan Corrida, had gone missing. Kay was immediately put on suspicion. There were also a few witnesses at the scene of the crime, some of which he would have to speak with later in his investigation.

"Well Miss Faraday. That about wraps it up! Thank you for your… thoroughness."

"No problem, Mr. Wright!"

"I just have one final question."

"Go ahead, I'm all ears."

"Can you say with absolute confidence that you are innocent pertaining to the case of the theft of the Jammin' Ninja's guitar?"

"Absolutely, without a doubt! The Yatagarasu would never do something as petty as simple theft. My sole goal is to steal the truth, and that's that."

"Well then, I believe in you Kay. And I'll believe in you until the bitter end," Phoenix replied with a determined smile.

Kay returned a smile just as bright and determined, full of youth and exhilaration. She adjusted her gloves and held two thumbs up as Phoenix begun to stand.

"Actually there is one more thing I'd like to ask…"

"Objection!"

"Huh?!" Phoenix jumped as the woman shouted and pointed, her fingertip touching the glass. She then crossed her arms, began to tap one finger, and smiled.

"Mr. Wright, correct me if I'm wrong. But you said that you had 'one final question' to ask of me."

"Yes, but-" Phoenix began to grin. "Oh I see where you're going with this," he chuckled. "I get it, I get it. You caught me. I guess I had more than just one 'final question' after all."

Kay laughed and touched her finger to her temple, tapping it lightly. "Hm, quite astute of you Mr. Wright! Anywho," she placed both hands on her hips, "What was it you wanted to ask?"

Phoenix began to rub the back of his neck, "You know, you keep claiming you 'steal the truth'... but, what exactly do you mean by that?"

She continued to smile, yet something became more serious in her mood and tone.

"Mr. Wright… are you aware of the Dark Age of the Law?"

"Yes, I'm quite familiar."

"My father, the first Yatagarasu was a prosecutor, before he died. He was constantly looking for the truth, as all other prosecutors should. But he realized that the court itself had many flaws. The Yatagarasu's goal is to go to extreme measures to bring all criminals to light. I will retire being a thief when the time comes where the courts no longer need my assistance."

Phoenix was shocked at her sudden serious demeanor, yet intrigued.

"Seeing the Dark Age of the Law slowly coming to the close was a relief for me. I'm glad to see the court is finally pulling itself together," she sighed and looked down at her badge, then back towards Phoenix's eyes.

"Thank you for defending me, Mr. Wright. I wish you the best of luck out there in your pursuit for the truth!"

Her previous energetic self shone through once more as she waved goodbye. Phoenix returned her wave and proceeded to exit the detention center.

 _Kay Faraday… Great Thief…._ He thought to himself as he walked down the corridor. The sight of the determination in her eye and her fierce objection flashed in his mind.

 _Heh… her mannerisms… they almost remind me of a certain prosecutor._


	3. Chapter 3

The Global Studios Museum was quite nostalgic to Phoenix. The resemblance to the original television studio was uncanny; from the large Mr. Monkey statue adorning the entrance, to the familiar characters on posters all around, he couldn't help but be reminded of one of his first cases as a defense attorney.

"Gosh, this place sure does bring back memories."

"Have you been here before, Boss?" asked one of his employees, the young and exuberant Athena Cykes; she had offered to assist him with the investigation.

"Well, not here specifically, but I've been to the original Global Studios television studio."

"Geez, everyone seems sorta… wigged out. Isn't this just a theft? I didn't think it would be _that_ big of a deal."

The museum's staff had been bustling around at a feverish pace, walking back and forth between exhibits and speaking with police. Athena's sharp, blue eyes watched everyone intently.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. But it was a pretty important item that was stolen, at least to them."

"Hey, about that… What was stolen anyway?"

"A guitar… I believe it was the Jammin' Ninja's gui-"

"WHAAAAAAAAT?!"

Phoenix nearly fell backwards from Athena's ear piercing shout, "Whoa, Athena! What was that for?!"

"The Jammin' Ninja's guitar was STOLEN?! C'mon, Boss! This is no time for dawdling; let's do this!"

Athena immediately started running towards the Jammin' Ninja exhibit, her fists clenched tight, and her long ponytail fluttering in the breeze. Phoenix quickly followed after and abruptly stopped at the entrance. His young employee seemed to be in an argument with a person that Phoenix didn't recognize. He was a young man with neat, styled, light brown hair and a smug look upon his face. His jacket was a fierce fiery red and his pants a deep royal blue. Phoenix would have noticed the prosecutor's badge on his lapel first, if it wasn't for the baton the young man had been waving around.

"Whaddya mean I can't investigate?! I'm the defense in this case! Well, technically my boss is… but I'm assisting in the investigation! So I should totally be able to go in there right now!" Athena shouted, pointing towards the inside of the exhibit.

Unfortunately the man seemed to be ignoring her, slowly waltzing with his baton until he finally spoke, "Who are you, again?"

"Athena Cykes! Did you even hear a word I said?!"

"Something the matter, Athena?" Phoenix had suddenly appeared by her side, rubbing the back of his neck in confusion.

"Why hello," the other man interrupted, "you must be the defense in this case! Phoenix Blight, was it?"

"Uh, actually it's Wright."

"Well Mr. Blight, it's an honor to finally meet the defense!" he bowed, "My name is Sebastian Debeste, the best prosecutor for the job!"

"Hello Prosecutor Debeste…. I'm Phoenix _Wright_."

"No need to introduce yourself again," he smiled.

 _Again? I didn't even say my name!_ Phoenix thought.

"Anyway, I just finished up investigating. Feel free to look around, but I'm warning you, my logic is already flawless!" Prosecutor Debeste beamed.

"Really…?" Athena asked, dumbfounded.

"Indeed! Absolutely imperfectible!"

"Does he mean impeccable, Boss?" Athena whispered to Phoenix who simply shrugged his shoulders in response.

Sebastian proceeded to retract his baton and walk confidently away from the scene. Athena shook her head and placed her hands on her hips, "Well, now that he's gone, let's get investigating!"

"Something tells me he'll be an interesting opponent in court, tomorrow…" Phoenix noted.

The two defense attorneys entered the exhibit and surveyed their immediate surroundings. It was concluded that there was only one entrance, and one way for the criminal to escape with the guitar. There were also multiple cameras, and with an item that size and shape, it would be near impossible to hide.

The room was a rectangular shape, covered from floor to ceiling in posters, props, and merchandise. In the center of the room were several glass cases, one of which was empty.

"Hey, Mr. Wright, think we can check this for prints?" Athena chirped.

"Not until a detective gets here, but that does sound like a good place to start."

"Hm, I wonder if Detective Skye is in charge of this case…"

"SORRY I'M LATE, PAL"

Both Phoenix and Athena suddenly jumped at the echoing shout, the latter nearly bumping into the display case. A tall, scruffy-looking detective with a long, green coat stood tall and saluted the two attorneys.

"There was a bit of traffic on the way," he laughed nervously, "but your old pal Detective Gumshoe is here to help!"

"I guess that means Ema won't be here," Athena crossed her arms.

"Hey Detective, good to see you again," Phoenix smiled.

"You know him, Boss?"

"Oh is this one of your subordinates, Mr. Wright," Gumshoe exclaimed," Nice to meet ya! The names Dick Gumshoe."

"Hiya Detective! I'm Athena Cykes."

"Detective Gumshoe, think you can check for some prints for me?" Phoenix asked.

"Oh forensics already checked the whole place, pal. Here's the report," Gumshoe handed over papers that had fingerprints of everyone near the scene at the time of the crime, as well as fingerprints that were on the glass display case."

"Alright," Phoenix began, "According to the report, the prints on the glass belong to… Anna Yin and Dorian Cale, as well as one unidentified set."

Athena pondered for a moment, "So we have three possible suspects, now. We should probably have a word with them."

"Yeah," Phoenix brought his hand to his chin, "Athena, think you can investigate here with the detective, while I go meet with the witnesses?"

"No problem, Boss! You can count on me!" She excitedly punched the palm of her hand and smiled.

"Thanks, Athena. See you later Detective."

Phoenix waved at the two and exited the exhibit. He looked down at the list once more.

"I should probably start with this Anna Yin person, she seems to be nearby." He called a nearby cab and journeyed to Anna Yin's place of residence.


	4. Chapter 4

_Hey there! First author's note... Sorry for the delay with this chapter. It was both a lack of inspiration and direction. It might not be the best written but, hey, at least it's something! Also, thanks to everyone who left reviews, I really appreciate those~_

Anna Yin lived in a quaint home, with neatly cut grass and carefully placed lawn decor. The steps up to the front porch creaked under Phoenix's shoes as he made is way to the front door. He knocked lightly on the door waiting for a reply. No response. He tried knocking once more, this time, slightly louder. Still no response. Perhaps there was no one home. Phoenix was about to try for the third time until he heard the doorknob begin to turn. On the other side of the door was a young child, with messy overalls and hair bunched up in pigtails at the top of her head. Her face was speckled with freckles and her nose scrunched up at the sight of the lawyer in front of her.

"Oh, uh, hello… May I speak to Anna Yin, please?" Phoenix asked as he peered through the door, looking for an adult.

"You're lookin' at her, pal," the girl said as she crossed her arms and tapped her foot, "Whaddya want?" The girl couldn't have been older than ten, and her attitude was unbearable. For a moment Phoenix felt relieved to have such a well behaved child such as Trucy, save for the few times a magic trick went seriously wrong.

"Hello, Anna. Is your mother home by any chance?"

She shrugged her shoulders and shifted her weight to her right leg, "What's it to you?"

"My name is Phoenix Wright, and I'm a lawyer."

"A lawyer, huh? I don't know if I believe you, Mister."

Phoenix bent down and presented his badge, "Is my attorney's badge proof enough?"

"Hmm…" she said, carefully inspecting the badge, "Is it real gold?"

"Uh… no."

Anna seemed even more disappointed than before.

"Well then, see ya later, Mister," she chirped, abruptly closing the door; Phoenix managed to stop it with his foot.

"H-hold on a second, I have a few questions! Do you-"

Phoenix suddenly clamped his hands over his ears as the girl began to shriek.

"What on earth is your problem?!" He cringed.

The high pitch obnoxious squeal caused Phoenix to step back, nearly tripping over the front steps. Anna proceeded to slam the door shut. He could hear the click of the lock and sighed.

 _Well, so much for asking a few simple questions. I guess I'll have to wait to cross examine her in court tomorrow… that is, if she make an appearance._

"Hey welcome back, boss! Any new leads?" Athena cheerily asked as Phoenix reentered the scene of the crime.

"Unfortunately, no. I couldn't get a single word in from the girl, let alone ask her any questions!"

"¡Ay, caramba! That's annoying," she sighed.

"You can say _that_ again," Phoenix ran a hand through his hair, "Do _you_ have any new leads?"

"Well, I _did_ find some intriguing evidence."

"Hey, I helped too, pal…"

Phoenix had nearly forgotten Detective Gumshoe was there.

"Yeah," Athena smiled, "Gumshoe and I had a pretty successful investigation if I do say so myself."

The flustered detective rubbed the back of his neck, "Aw it's nothin' really, just doin' my job!"

 _It must be nice to be respected for his work for once, poor Gumshoe._

"Mr. Wright, take a look at this!" Athena held up a small plastic bag containing a small silver key. "I found it in an air vent near the broken glass case. I wasn't sure if it was relevant to the case, but it was so close to where the guitar was stolen that I thought I'd grab it just in case. Case, case case… so many cases."

Phoenix smiled and inspected the key, "I've come across some pretty insane evidence, so I wouldn't be surprised if this was involved."

"Regardless, I still have a ton of awesome stuff to show you! Check these out!" she motioned for Phoenix to come to a small folding table set up in the corner of the room. Atop were several items in bags. Amongst these were a disposable camera, a ring, a keychain, and a single packet of soy sauce.

"Now boss, I know what you're thinking. 'The soy sauce is more relevant than the key?' But just you wait! Detective! Tell him where we found it!"

"It was inside the glass case! Seems odd, but no doubt about it, this is vital evidence, pal!"

"Vital, huh?" Phoenix brought his hand to his chin, "Are you sure it didn't show up recently?"

"It couldn't have. As soon as the guitar was found out to be missing, this entire area was blocked off."

"Yeah, and I asked around," Athena added, "A few other people noticed it too, but they didn't want to remove evidence from the crime scene."

"Hm, I see." Phoenix brainstormed possible scenarios as to why the condiment was there, but there just wasn't enough evidence yet to come to a conclusion. He probably wouldn't find out the meaning until the trial, anyway.

"What about the disposable camera? Were there any pictures taken?"

"Unfortunately, no. The thing was brand new, but we still have yet to check for prints! So it might be useful."

A pile of vague evidence, no witness testimony, and not a single lead to go on. Phoenix ran his head through his hair and sighed. He had been through much more stressful cases, but he wouldn't exactly feel at his peak of confidence in court. Though to be honest, he seldom did; bluffing was his best tactic.

"I'm going to head back to the detention center to ask Ms. Faraday a few more questions. Athena, do you mind staying here for a little while longer and seeing if you can comb anything else up? Also make sure you get those print analyses."

"No problem, boss!" She cracked her knuckles and turned on her heels, "C'mon, Dick! Let's get down to business, shall we?"

"That's Detective Gumshoe to you, pal!"

"Aw whatever, pal."

"Hey, I'm supposed to say pal, pal!"

The blue clad defense attorney huffed a laugh and continued on his way back to the detention center, hoping to get something he could work off of. Perhaps he could talk to the other suspect too, while he's at it. Mr. Cale, was it? Hopefully he'd be more helpful than young Miss Yin.


	5. Chapter 5

"Sorry, Kay Faraday currently has a visitor."

Phoenix sighed and planted one hand on his hip, "But I'm her lawyer, and it's important that I talk with her now, are you sure they can't just leave for a few minutes?"

Today just wasn't a good investigation day for Phoenix it seemed. He still had yet to find something to work off of and the trial began tomorrow. He couldn't disappoint Kay, not after he saw her exuberance and faith that she had put in him.

"Can you at least let her know I'm here and that I'd like to talk with her?"

The guard rolled his eyes and entered a room in the back. He came out a moment later and motioned Phoenix from behind the desk.

"What about the other visitor?"

"He'll be leaving a few minutes, Ms. Faraday insisted that you go meet him anyway."

Phoenix shrugged his shoulders and followed the guard into the back room, filled with shock immediately after entering.

The visitor was tall with a long red coat and sleek gray hair, parted in the middle with bangs that settled beside the temples of his glasses. When he turned around, his piercing gray eyes softened.

"It appears my suspicions were correct, you are indeed the defense on this case," the man spoke, his voice low and smooth, with a hint of an accent. He crossed his arms and smiled.

"I trust you've been well, Wright?"

"E-Edgeworth?! What are you doing here?" Phoenix replied in awe.

Kay quickly sprung out of her seat, "You two know each other?"

"Well, yeah. We knew each other when we were kids… but I'm more surprised that you two had some sort of connection."

"Didn't Gummy say anything?!"

"Oh yeah, maybe he did mention something about it…" Phoenix rubbed his chin, then glanced towards Edgeworth, "Hold on a sec… Why does a self-proclaimed "thief" have connections with the Chief Prosecutor?"

"You mean he never told you? I used to be his assistant back in his days as a regular ol' prosecutor!"

Phoenix huffed a laugh and crossed his arms, "Whoa Edgeworth, I didn't know you were hiring!"

Edgeworth mimicked Phoenix's motion and furrowed his eyebrows, "Hiring? She hired herself. I had nothing to do with it."

"Aw c'mon Mr. Edgeworth," Kay smiled, "We had lots of good times together! Remember that murder at the amusement park? Good times…"

"I wouldn't constitute a murder as a 'good time' Kay." Edgeworth tapped his finger against his arm then brought his hands to his sides.

"Anyway, Wright. I presume you would like to speak to Kay, so I'll leave you two be. Farewell."

As Edgeworth began to exit Phoenix spun around and spoke, "Wait a sec, I haven't seen you in weeks and now I'm learning about this assistant you told me about?"

Edgeworth rolled his eyes and smiled wryly, "We can discuss this later, Wright. Don't you have a case to be attending to?"

"Touché," Phoenix huffed a laugh and waved goodbye, then spun back around to face Kay. Before he could even bring up a word about the case, Kay spoke up.

"Hm… you wouldn't happen to be 'that man,' would you?"

"Huh?"

"Mr. Edgeworth always talked about a certain man, a defense attorney… I suppose it would make sense if he was talking about you."

"M-Me?" Phoenix moved to sit down in the chair across from her, "What kind of things did he say?"

"It usually wasn't much, but I think he really looks up to you."

Phoenix sat for a moment in silence, not sure how to respond.

"...You know, I heard he used to be really different."

Kay crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair.

"I mean, his father was a defense attorney… why did he become a prosecutor?"

"So you know about Gregory Edgeworth?"

"Eh, just a little. I met a defense attorney who used to work under him before he… well, you know."

Phoenix's gaze dropped the floor. He then shook his head and looked back up.

"A-Anyway, we should probably get back to talking about the case at hand."

"I guess so. But I expect to hear all about embarrassing stories about Mr. Edgeworth in his awkward teen years!"

Her smile faded once she saw her lawyer's morose reaction.

"He moved to Germany around that time… so we didn't talk… at all."

"O-Oh," she stammered. In attempt to prevent things from getting anymore sullen, she moved her attention back to the task at hand.

"What was it you wanted to ask me about the case?"

"Oh, yes," Phoenix sat up, "I'm curious to know what you know about the following people."

He read the names of witnesses off of a scrap of paper in hopes that she would recognize at least one of them. Fortunately one of them did ring a bell: Dorian S. Cale. It looked as if he finally had some sort of lead.


	6. Chapter 6

Phoenix braced his hands on his knees and huffed out a big sigh. He was used to walking everywhere, but climbing ten flights of stairs wasn't something he did often. He wondered how Edgeworth did it everyday.

Unfortunately, the elevator at Cale's apartment complex wasn't functioning that week, and of course he resided on the tenth floor of all places. After regaining his breath, Phoenix scanned the hallway and found what he was looking for: Apartment 1014. The numbers were worn and there was the faint sound of a cello coming from the otherside. He knocked a few times and heard the cello abruptly stop, followed by footsteps and the door opening.

Dorian Cale was a lanky man with messy, dirty blonde hair. He had a slight slouch and his clothes were baggy and far too big for his body size. He gave a lazy but confused smile to Phoenix as he eyed his attorney's badge.

"Mr. Dorian S. Cale? My name is Phoenix Wright, I'm a lawyer. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions about the events of yesterday?"

"What about yesterday?" Cale questioned, shifting his weight to one leg and crossing his arms.

"You visited the Global Studios Museum yesterday, correct?"

"Uh… yeah."

"And you visited the Jammin' Ninja exhibit, right?"

"What's this about?"

"Last night the Jammin' Ninja's guitar was stolen. You're fingerprints were found on the display case."

Dorian grabbed his shirt nervously and shifted his weight to the other leg, "A-Am I being accused?"

"Not at all, Mr. Cale. But it is true that you were one of the last few to visit the exhibit. If we take into consideration how often the glass case was cleaned, it can be confirmed that the last few sets of fingerprints, including yours, were from the last visitors to see the guitar before closing."

Phoenix smiled in attempt to calm the nervous man and added, "I just would like to know if you saw anything suspicious."

Cale looked pensive as he recalled the events and abruptly shook his head.

"Are you sure? Even the smallest detail may be useful."

"Uh…" Dorian stammered.

"Do you think you can recall what happened last night?"

The musician thought for a moment and nodded hesitantly. After inviting Phoenix inside and sitting on an old, tattered couch, Cale began to explain what he had remembered.

There were a few people in the exhibit at the time, as it was getting close to closing time. He had desperately wanted to visit, though his classes ended later than usual, so he had no choice but to show up later than desired. He had been staring at the guitar until a young woman came up and started a conversation.

"What did she look like?"

"Well, she was tall, had long black hair in a big ponytail… and she had a key in her hair, I think?"

 _Uh oh…_ _Definitely Kay,_ Phoenix thought to himself.

"What did she say?"

Dorian scratched his head and then smiled, "We were talking about the Jammin' Ninja. I guess she was a fan, too," he laughed, "She was testing me on my Jammin' Ninja knowledge."

"Did you discuss the guitar at all?"

"At first, yeah. I mean, she was pretty excited about it. But then we started talking about other things."

"Other things?"

"The trivia. Oh and she also mentioned she was hungry. She said something about craving Chinese food?"

"You remember that specific detail?" Phoenix had a pensive look on his face.

"Yeah. I actually started to get a little hungry myself. I even remember smelling some sort of Asian food…"

Phoenix continued to think then spoke up, "Is that all you remember?"

"Well after that she left, and I did soon after."

"I see…"

"Sorry if I wasn't any help," Dorian said nervously, scratching the back of his head.

Phoenix sat up, "This was very helpful actually, thank you Mr. Cale!"

"Really?"

"Like I said, any little detail helps! Now I think I'm actually getting somewhere."

"Weird, didn't sound like I said anything useful."

Phoenix sat up, shook hands and bid the young college student farewell. He recalled his mental notes and began his trek back down the stairs. After gaining this info he decided it was time to repay the crime scene a visit. There were a few things he wanted to look at in a different light.

"Alright detective," Athena announced triumphantly, "I'd say this was a pretty successful investigation!"

"Sure was, pal. Although I don't know what any of this stuff means. You think they used the soy sauce to break into the case?"

"I don't think that's possible," Athena replied with a concerned look on her face.

"On the bright side," Athena added cheerfully, "We didn't find any of Kay's fingerprints anywhere!"

"But she wears gloves, pal. Of course they wouldn't show up."

"Oh," Athena slumped over. "Back to square one I guess…"

Soon after Phoenix strode in with confidence and broke the silence, "Athena, Gumshoe! Anything new?"

"Oh hey, Boss," Athena stood up straight, "We pretty much wrapped up our investigation, what about you?"

Phoenix smiled, "I spoke with Dorian Cale, and I think I've learned something rather helpful."

Athena and Gumshoe listened intently.

"So," he began, "At first I wasn't sure what to think of the soy sauce, _but…_ Mr. Cale _does_ recall smelling some sort of Asian food. Kay did as well."

"You think someone ordered Chinese, pal?"

"I guess that makes sense, but why is that important?" Athena questioned.

"If you recall, the soy sauce was found _inside_ the case meaning…"

"The thief could have been eating takeout!" Athena concluded.

"Interesting deduction, pals!"

"But that seems kind of odd don't you think?" She began to play with her crescent shaped earring.

"I've seen stranger, Athena," he signed, "Anyway, what did you guys find?"

"Good question, Boss! We finally got the unknown fingerprints back from the lab. It took awhile but we have identification."

"So, who is it?" Phoenix inquired.

"It's Mr. Edgeworth, pal!"

"Say WHAT?!" Phoenix stepped back in shock, "You didn't think this was an important detail to mention earlier?!"

"You think he stole the guitar?" Gumshoe asked fervently.

"Of course not! But if he was there I need to talk to him!"

Athena chimed in, "Honestly, I was a little surprised myself. Why would the chief prosecutor of all people go to the Global Studios Museum?"

"What confuses me is why it would be the Jammin' Ninja exhibit of all things. I'm sure there's something here that would spark his interest much more."

 _Something less Jammin' and more Steel..._ Phoenix thought to himself.

"Regardless, I'm going to stop by the chief prosecutor's office and ask Edgeworth a few questions. Do you mind coming along Athena?"

"Not at all! Let's do this!"

"I think I'll stay around here, pals and wrap things up."

"Alright, thanks Gumshoe," Phoenix replied.

Once again, Phoenix called a cab, this time with his subordinate in tow. After swapping theories and ideas, Phoenix questioned in his mind whether it was wise to get the chief prosecutor involved. Afterall, Edgeworth had a history and the last thing he wanted was to sully his good friend's reputation. But he knew how strongly Miles vowed for the truth, and he was determined to find just that.


	7. Chapter 7

Phoenix breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of a functioning elevator. At least he didn't have to climb any more stairs.

"You know I would have never guessed Prosecutor Edgeworth is a Steel Samurai fan!" Athena chirped.

"Yeah, but I wouldn't mention it in front of him if I were you. He's not exactly open about it." Phoenix chuckled.

The elevator dinged as they arrived at the 12th floor. It was rather quiet, he assumed most of the employees left for the day, but knowing Edgeworth he would still be hard at work. He glanced up as they passed room 1202, Edgeworth's former office. After being promoted to Chief Prosecutor, Edgeworth was moved down the hall into a more spacious work area, though it still had that same Edgeworth aesthetic.

He knocked quickly on the door and entered upon Edgeworth's voice welcoming them inside.

"You know, going home early every so often won't hurt you."

Without glancing up Edgeworth replied, "The life of a Chief Prosecutor is a busy one, Wright."

After finishing whatever he had been writing, Edgeworth sat up and motioned for the two to come closer.

"Kay hasn't caused you any trouble already, has she?"

"No, no. She's fine, it's you that I'm concerned about, Edgeworth."

"Me?" Edgeworth moved to one of the couches as the two defense attorneys followed suit. "Considering I have no involvement in this case, I don't believe there is anything you need to worry about."

"There's already a glaring contradiction in that statement and you know it!"

"Don't be ridiculous, Wright. What on Earth are you referring to?"

Athena quickly chimed in, "Mr. Edgeworth, I'm afraid your fingerprints were at the scene of the crime."

Edgeworth didn't flinch, he merely straightened up and began to clean his glasses.

Phoenix shook his head, "Look, I know you're obviously innocent, but why try to hide the fact that you definitely visited that exhibit that night? It would have been helpful information to know!"

"I didn't hide anything, I don't _hide_ things, Wright. You know that."

"Are you just embarrassed? I don't care what fictional character's exhibit you visit, I just need to know what you saw."

"Very well," Edgeworth replaced his glasses, "It was a… recreational visit. I merely came out of curiosity and left just as swiftly."

"Was anyone there at that time," Athena inquired.

"I don't recall seeing anyone. Am I correct in assuming there is no security footage?"

"Unfortunately they were updating their security that day, so all cameras in that area were-" Phoenix sat up, "What? What is it?"

Edgeworth had that gleam in his eye that was all too familiar. He had realized something Phoenix had overlooked.

"There's no way you have this figured out!"

"Of course not, though what you said is quite interesting… Think about it. The one night security is down, there is a theft? I'm sure it is no coincidence."

Athena gasped, "You don't think… this could be an inside job?"

"The possibility cannot be completely overlooked."

"What should we do, Boss?"

Phoenix ran a hand through his hair and pondered, though not for long, "Athena, do you mind calling Gumshoe? We should find out everything we can about the staff, especially those who worked this night."

"Got it!"

Athena quickly rose from the couch and ran into the hallway to make the call. Meanwhile, Edgeworth began to rise.

"Woah, hold on. You're not entirely off the hook yet!"

Edgeworth raised an eyebrow and sat back down across from Wright.

"I just want to talk to you for a sec."

"Wright, it appears both you and I don't have the time for idle chatter."

Phoenix's voice shifted from his prior professional tone, to one more suited for a close friend, "Why didn't you tell me earlier when you knew I was on the defense? You know, about you being at the scene of the crime and all."

"I didn't think my presence was significant."

"Oh, so it never crossed your mind that having your fingerprints at a crime scene _might_ have been a little relevant?"

"You're acting childish, Wright," Edgeworth shook his head and moved to turn back to his desk, "There's no need for attitude, I apologize if my retaining of such frivolous information had offended you in any way."

" _My_ attitude? That remark of yours sounded pretty sarcastic to me."

Edgeworth paused before sitting down at his desk and looked off to the side, "Well, I did not intend for it to sound that way. I truly apologize."

There was a brief moment of silence as Phoenix realized he was now standing across from Edgeworth, the desk being the only thing between them. The silence was soon broken by a soft chuckle from Phoenix.  
"I… I am being ridiculous aren't I," he rubbed the back of his neck subconsciously, "I'm sorry Miles. I guess it's just been bothering me that we don't talk often. I get how busy you are, but I thought things were starting to get better between us. I thought our friendship was finally being rekindled but now you're not being completely honest with me. And the whole thing with Kay? I had no idea about that. It feels like sometimes you can't just… talk to me."

Edgeworth simply crossed his arms and continued to look anywhere but at Phoenix. After what seemed like an eternity, he finally lifted his head and looked into the man's eyes.

"Wright. You know you are a dear and indispensable friend to me. And because you are my friend, you know how I am in a social setting. Out of work, my life is just being at home and taking care of my dog."

"I never said we had to go out partying Edgeworth," Phoenix laughed quietly at the thought, "A call every now and then would be nice though."

"You… are right."  
"Yes, that is my name."

Edgeworth's arms dropped to his side and he shook his head.

"Absolutely incorrigible."

Phoenix laughed, "Sorry, you know I had to! It was just too perfect."

At that moment Athena peeked her head through the door and called to Phoenix.

"Hey! So I just got off the phone with Gumshoe. I have a list of names here and he said he's going to keep researching! Think it's time to check all this stuff over back at the office?"

"Great job, Athena. Seriously, you've been a huge help today. And yeah, you're probably right. I'll meet you out there in a second and we can head back."

"No prob, Boss!" Athena exited the office again, reviewing the notes she took using her portable computer, Widget.

When Phoenix looked back, Edgeworth was working away once more, as if he hadn't been disrupted in the first place.

"Well I guess I'll get going then, huh?"

"Don't forget to close the door on the way out."

"See you," Phoenix added softly before moving towards the door."

"Phoenix."

The use of his first name coming from the timbre of Edgeworth's voice was unexpected, he turned around quickly.

"Wright," Edgeworth corrected himself. Phoenix didn't think the first name usage would catch on anytime soon. But it wasn't surprising.

"I apologize if it ever felt like I was closing myself off from you. I never meant to make you worry. I just assumed that distance was what you needed in restarting your career, though it appears I was mistaken."

Phoenix paused briefly, then smiled, "Edgeworth, you are in no way an annoyance to me. You're like, my closest friend, okay? You need to really loosen up sometimes," he laughed, "After we win this case you should join us back at the office to celebrate. It's not like you're involved."

"I wouldn't say I'm not-"  
Phoenix cut the other man off before he could finish, "Just forget about that. You were right; It's not important. I trust you."

That seemed to really catch the Chief Prosecutor off guard.

"I don't want to make Athena wait any longer. See you later, Edgeworth!"

Before Edgeworth could reply Phoenix had already waved and was out the door. The room fell silent once more and the prosecutor was allowed to return to his work. He picked up his fountain pen and began to write, with Phoenix's offer still in mind.

A/N: After months... or has it been years? At this point I don't even remember but FINALLY I found the inspiration to write this chapter! I'm quite happy with how this turned out. I know it took a rather serious tone but my original intention was to always involve Phoenix and Mile's relationship. It was always one of my favorite dynamics in the games and I hope you enjoyed my take on their personalities! Whether you take this as romantic or platonic is completely up to the viewer. I tried to keep it vague so It could go either way. So whether you ship it or not, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! See you next time~


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